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Registered Member #16
Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:22PM
Location: New Wilmington, PA
Posts: 554
I'm preparing my equipment to do some long distance hiking, and I've planned from the start to take a slingshot along with me. My primary reason is for putting up my wire HF antenna for my radio. It will also give me a survival tool should I ever need to procure food in the woods, as well as a potential means of dissuading any particularly pushy black bears. A quick shot on the butt with a beanbag type round is usually enough to send them scurrying.
I watched This Video and that gave me a few ideas.
When it comes to hiking though, I'm what you call a 'gram weiny'. I go to extremes when it comes to reducing the weight I'm carrying. I think there's a lot I could do to both increase the functionality/accuracy/power of a slingshot while also reducing its weight and size quite a lot.
In that video, I saw The Vertical Slingshot and was intrigued. This might be one variety I'll try early on.
Anyone have any experience here, or some clever ideas on engineering the frame to be as strong, compact, and light as possible?
Registered Member #2893
Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242
I have made a couple slingshots before. A couple tips:
*Angles > 40* are pretty weak. *Use hardwoods if you are planning on using wood. *If you need to join pieces of wood roughen it up and use glue, then put in some screws before the glue is dry. *If you need to make an inline splice use a peg and some glue. *Surgical/rubber tubing is best. You can get it at home depot in the plumbing section. *Make the "grip part" (dunno the terminology) out of leather. Leather is definitely best, thick stuff.
Registered Member #3414
Joined: Sun Nov 14 2010, 05:05PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4245
Martin King wrote ...
There's a nice little Titanium one here supplier Otherwise I like the idea of using carbon fibre.
Martin.
I wouldn't recommend using carbon fibre for the reasons I was didcussing with Dave in the chatroom the other night.
Carbon only has strength in compression. Unless you know exactly what you are doing it's quite possible that you'll end up being hit in the face by flying carbon shrapnel. Not something you'd want to happen miles away from the nearest casualty unit.
I'd recommend something like 1/8" by 3/4" stainless (316 is a lot stronger than 304, and is the same weight) as a starting point. easy to work, strong and tough.
Registered Member #3040
Joined: Tue Jul 27 2010, 03:15PM
Location: South of London. UK
Posts: 237
But half the fun is in learning how to make one that won't snap and then building a test rig to flex it several thousand times to check that you're right. A Kevlar/Carbon hybrid might be a better bet . Also (after making several throwing knives and other items) I wouldn't say that stainless is THAT easy to work with as it work hardens when cutting so you need the right tools/technique.
Registered Member #195
Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 08:27PM
Location: Berkeley, ca.
Posts: 1111
Hi Dave, I am not sure whether you want to build a sling shot or self protection. If you still want to use been bags on bears you may end up just pissing them off. However I found a decent wrist rocket at
among others. If I were you I would just avoid the rangers as much the bears if you have one of these devices. I prefer a wrist rocket over ordinary slings because it offers better control.
Registered Member #3414
Joined: Sun Nov 14 2010, 05:05PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4245
Martin King wrote ...
But half the fun is in learning how to make one that won't snap and then building a test rig to flex it several thousand times to check that you're right. A Kevlar/Carbon hybrid might be a better bet . Also (after making several throwing knives and other items) I wouldn't say that stainless is THAT easy to work with as it work hardens when cutting so you need the right tools/technique.
Martin.
Stainless is A LOT easier to work than titanium and it's alloys. While I usually use an angle grinder to cut stainless, a sharp hacksaw will do the job, especially if you apply a bit of cutting compound/spray. It's also easy to weld with a low powered stick welder, although welding may not be required for this project.
Registered Member #3040
Joined: Tue Jul 27 2010, 03:15PM
Location: South of London. UK
Posts: 237
Ash Small wrote ...
Stainless is A LOT easier to work than titanium and it's alloys.
Er. yes but it's still not "easy to work". I wouldn't like to try and cut 1/4" stainless with a hacksaw and even 1/8" would be pushing it. You also have to be careful if using an angle grinder not to let the work get too hot. There's some useful info on machining Stainless here . You also have to be careful if cutting with an angle grinder (Particularly with thinner material such as 1/8" ) as you risk overheating the stainless and softening it.
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Constructing A Slingshot
